Thursday, July 22, 2010

Products

Hey, hey, hey [in your best Rerun voice],

What can I say? ITS FRIDAY!!!!!!

I want to keep it light today. I want an easy topic that is easy to swallow on a Friday.

Now, I know some of you crank up the computer on Monday morning and get all three blogs in one sitting, but most of you are sitting down sometime on Friday or Saturday to read this blog. I try not to do things that are really heavy on Fridays.

See, you think this blog thing is so easy. Trust me, I am a professional and I make this look easy. (You know, the guy that watches you do a filling or take a tooth out and thinks its easy? The next thing you know he is drinking a bottle of Jack and trying to pull his own tooth in the garage).

Anyway, before I forget, I wrote an article for submission to the AGD to put in the Impact magazine. I think they liked it, so you might be seeing me in magazine form soon. No pressure on the editoral team or anything, but I am hoping for a monthly spot... You know, we can call it "A 'Sit-Down' with Dr. Gammichia," or something like that. But like I said, I don't want to put any pressure on anyone.

I want to do a product review. This is going to be a couple of products that I rely on every day. There is not much thought that is going into this. I am going to think off the top of my head of the stuff that I NEED. I know I have done this blog before, but it has probably changed since the last time (look, I am trying to impress the editorial team and show them that I do have a clinical mind, so please bare with me).

LoupesI'm starting easy. I use Design for Vision 3.5 right now, and I have two pairs. I told you that one day mine broke and it was torture working with my 2.5s. So after I had my 3.5's repaired, I had them make another set so I will never ever ever never have to be without a pair. To me these are like the suction or the air compressor or electricity: if they are not available, I might as well shut it down for the day.

Head lightYou avid readers will know that I bought a PeriOptix light about a year ago. It was great move. I love the thing. It is easy to use. It is lightweight. The battery lasts for months. If you don't have one, you should consider the $850 investment.

My staffI know this is not a product, but if you don't have it, it is going to cost you money. I have to tell you that having a staff that is like your right hand is gold.My front desk personnel will take a task and just get it done. My back staff know my every move. I do something and they move knowing which way I am going to go. I don't even have to talk. They get me and they get what I am trying to do here. Pure gold, I tell you.

Triodent 3VThis is a contact matrix system that is second to none. If you are old school and have been using the binetine ring and section matrix, this is the new and improved version. All the tricky formed teeth, not an issue. If your wedge is always getting in the way, the 3v takes care of that problem. And, of course, great contacts every time.

If you are using this one, I know you are thrilled. If you are not, it is time to try one. One thing about this one is it is VERY expensive. I think they are about $125 EACH.

My computerI am now using my computer for everything. We took the plunge into digital about 4 years ago. We had to wire up this old office. We had to buy all the hardware. Then we had to buy all the software and managing system. Then we bought all the stuff to take digital x-rays.

I do everything with my computer now. Every chart is in a digital file. I write up all my charts in the computer. I can communicate better with my specialists, emailing photos and x-rays.

I think I am a better dentist because of it. I think 4 years ago it cost about $80,000. And we still have a film pan machine. It could have been worse. We did buy all this when things in dentistry were very good. If I had to do it now, I might have trouble biting that bullet, but now that I have, I am pretty thrilled.

BursThis is not rocket science. I have used a lot of burs and I find that these two allow me to do the stuff that I want to do the best. For those of you who are interested, it is 889.31.009. I found it in a veneer polishing kit. I was trying to find the finest tipped diamond there was.

This is still a work in progress because it is good but they don't last very long. You can imagine how precise I can get the anatomy in my resins but the diamond gets worn pretty fast on the tip.

The bur on the right has been with me since the beginning. It is made by a company called Abrasive Technology, Inc., and is called a Two Striper bur. We call it a small bud. I can get you the number if you want it.

I did see a bur that was inverted at a lecture, meaning the small bud is concave and the bur is convex, with a point. I am going to try it, andn I'll let you know how it goes.

SE BondI have gone through the gamut with this one. You know I've had issues with bonding agents in the past, but my rock is SE Bond. I have gone to almost exclusively SE Bond. I am etching the enamel and using SE Bond. That is it. I am tired of changing and you are going to have to work me over pretty good to change my mind.

ParajectThis is new to me. It is an intraligamentary injection system. It is like the Ligajet of past.

How many times have you given someone an inferior alveolar injection to do a 10 minute procedure? This type of injection gets one tooth numb. No lip, no tongue just tooth. I love it. I would say I use it a bit more than 50% of the time on the lower. I have used it for fillings, crowns and root canals. The patients really appreciate it.

ExpasylThis is a hemostatic agent. You all have probably heard of it. Some of you might be saying, "Well, I use hemodent," or , "I use astrigedent."

But let me tell you something: this stuff works. Not some of the time - all of the time. I am pretty sure it would stop the blood flow in your heart if you put it on there.

A couple of things with this product: It is crazy expensive. Like 1600% more expensive than its ferric sulfate competitor. And it is aluminum chloride, so it will take the blood and leaves a brown smudge on your prep that has to be wiped off.But if you are looking to stop bleeding, Expasyl is it.

Okay, that is all today. Easy peasy. I told you.

Now it is your turn. Is there a product that is a must for you? A product that you are using that is making you a better dentist? Let me know about it.

Have a great weekend.john

I ran 16 miles last weekend. Still very hard.I was watching TV at 10:45pm last night and the accuWeather came on and said it was 91 degrees. Yes that is 91 degrees Fahrenheit at almost 11 o'clock at night. Only got 10 tomorrow.

1. Loupes and headlamp: 'nuff said2. Vaseline and que tip: patients like comfort when you're pushing and pulling.3. Leatherman squirt: even when visiting other dentists, you won't believe how many things I've fixed/adjusted with this thing.

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